A True Love
by arisaswordheart
Summary: A short one-shot about Tenar and Ged. They've always loved each other, but never could really get together. What has Ged been feeling and going through? Reviews appreciated.


**A True Love**

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**Notice: **It is short. Yeah. If it were any longer, well, there would probably have to have another rating. I'm not ready to post something with a high rating, even if I'm ready to write it. So … it's short.

To the best of my knowledge, there shouldnt be many mistakes....

**Disclaimer:** Earthsea books by Ursula Le Guin

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He first saw her in the darkness of the Tombs of Atuan, pale skin and long dark hair. Arha, the eaten one, priestess of the Tombs, but he knew her as Tenar, her true name, the name he found and revealed to her.

He reformed the Ring of Erreth-Akbe and put it upon her wrist, the one he loved without really realizing it, and then he brought her out of the Tombs and into the light as, behind her, her old life collapsed into ashes and dust and Tenar was born anew.

Her laugh and her determination intrigued him. She was strange to him as he was to her with his dark skin, but still, he felt that tenderness to her that could never be fulfilled as he dropped her off at Re Albi and left.

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Sparrowhawk looked back at Gont as he sailed away in Lookfar, the magewind blowing in her sail to take him speedily back over the seas. The words spoken from his lips was whipped away by the wind and lost, the one word, filled with tenderness, care and wishes. Impossible wishes.

He tore his gaze from the house on the hill, his master, Ogion's house where he had dropped off Tenar. He trusted his master to teach her and take care of her as he had taken care of Sparrowhawk and give her guidance in this strange new world.

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The Archmage read the short correspondence from Ogion as he leaned against the rim of the fountain, waiting. As he reached the end of the short message, he folded the letter calmly and stowed it in a pocket once again.

"Ged?" Master Doorkeeper surveyed the Archmage with intense eyes.

Sparrowhawk inclined his head at the Master Doorkeeper and looked away as he took a deep breath to dispel the pain in his heart. Of course, it had been inevitable from the start. He was who he was and he knew what he had to do and what responsibilities he had. He had no right to stop her from marrying someone else. Nothing could have come from any sort of relationship. Nothing could have happened in this lifetime.

He knew this, but it didn't stop the pain. The pain one experiences when the one they love is gone. Even one touch, one small sign of tenderness towards her would do, but he couldn't give her the wrong idea.

He had no right to stop her.

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Kalessin flew over the islands and the seas of the Archipelago, heading for the island of Gont, the final destination. Sparrowhawk gripped Kalessin's back, hands frozen in place lest he fell, but he wasn't fully conscious anymore. Death had never been so close. Hopes and desires were nothing now. If only there was one chance, one chance to see the ones he loved – the other people he loved, he reminded himself. He had farewelled Lebannen at Roke.

"Re Albi," Sparrowhawk murmured at Kalessin and the enormous wings beat strongly as they angled and headed towards the small cliff where Ogion's house was not far from.

Sparrowhawk drifted as they grew ever closer to the island and the dragon he rode on hit the ground powerfully. The words said to him did not register but neither could he move his body. There were more words, and then a small hand tried to pull him from the dragon. He turned his head slightly and even through his semi-conscious state, the appearance of the woman registered.

He had seen her many times coming through the darkness, meeting him each time as he was on the brink of death. Dying of thirst the first time, one other time weakened and exhausted from trying to perform magic without his staff as the nameless ones colossal power pressed on him and long periods of time spent without food, water of light in the depths of the earth. Oh yes, he knew her.

But her name just wouldn't come to mind at the moment as he drifted into the darkness.

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He awakened… the first time since he had returned to Re Albi. She was holding his hands, trying to open them from his clench, unconsciously grasping the dragon and perhaps even trying to save his hands from the unforgiving rock of that dry land.

He looked up at her, wearied beyond feeling, but something welled up in him even as he spoke her name.

"Tenar."

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End file.
